Morphometric analysis of Capillaria anatis (Nematoda, Capillariidae) from Anas platyrhynchos domesticus

Abstract

Th e study presents species-specifi c morphological traits and metric parameters of mature male and female Сapillaria anatis (Nematoda, Capillariidae) nematodes. Th e capillariids were obtained by examinations of caeca of 205 domestic ducks (Anas platyrhynchos dom.), reared at poultry farms of Poltava, Sumy and Kyiv Regions of Ukraine. Noted sexual dimorphism was signifi cant by seven morphometric parameters, with measurements of females being larger by 12.40–29.69 % than those of males. In addition to species-specifi c traits, other diagnostic characters were proposed in male and female С. anatis. In males, such taxonomically important features are morphological specifi cs of pseudobursa, spicule and ornamentation of spicule sheath. In identifi cation of females, morphology of the vulvar area and eggs in uterus should be considered. Eleven metric parameters are suggested for better diff erential diagnostics of С. anatis.